Chapter 25
Medical Products Inspired by Biological
Oscillators: Intermittent Pneumatic
Compression and the Microcirculation
Clare Thorn and Angela Shore
Abstract To sustain life oxygen must be transported from the lungs to the heart
and then out to the trillions of cells that make up the human body. This process is
dependent upon many oscillatory systems that exquisitely respond to the fluctuating
needs of each cell. The interplay between these systems that oscillate between an
active and passive state provides the unique balance of a healthy life. To circulate
blood to each cell in the body there is an intricate network of vessels. Blood leaves
the heart through a ~2 cm diameter aorta and branches down to <10 µm capillaries
at a cellular level before returning to the heart through the venae cavae. In these
non-rigid vessels haemodynamic regulation is controlled by complex oscillatory
systems that determine the resistance of vessels and therefore the local blood flow.
These mechanisms are also supported by the presence of valves that ensure venous
return and cyclical muscle pumps such as in the foot and calf that aid the circulation
whilst walking. However, inadequate circulation can arise from the narrowing of
vessels such as atherosclerosis, diseases such diabetes, incompetent valves and lack
of mobility. This chapter reviews how medical products have been developed to
enhance circulation including microcirculation, through the external application of
intermittent pneumatic compression.
25.1 The Microcirculation
25.1.1 Overview
Many medical products have been developed to support the cardiovascular system
when our innate biological oscillatory system fails. When the heart is incapable
of sustaining these oscillations a pacemaker can be fitted. When these systems are
C. Thorn (B) · A. Shore
Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Science, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK
e-mail: c.e.thorn@exeter.ac.uk
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
A. Stefanovska and P. V. E. McClintock (eds.), Physics of Biological
Oscillators, Understanding Complex Systems,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59805-1_25
385
Medical Products Inspired by Biological
Oscillators: Intermittent Pneumatic
Compression and the Microcirculation
Clare Thorn and Angela Shore
Abstract To sustain life oxygen must be transported from the lungs to the heart
and then out to the trillions of cells that make up the human body. This process is
dependent upon many oscillatory systems that exquisitely respond to the fluctuating
needs of each cell. The interplay between these systems that oscillate between an
active and passive state provides the unique balance of a healthy life. To circulate
blood to each cell in the body there is an intricate network of vessels. Blood leaves
the heart through a ~2 cm diameter aorta and branches down to <10 µm capillaries
at a cellular level before returning to the heart through the venae cavae. In these
non-rigid vessels haemodynamic regulation is controlled by complex oscillatory
systems that determine the resistance of vessels and therefore the local blood flow.
These mechanisms are also supported by the presence of valves that ensure venous
return and cyclical muscle pumps such as in the foot and calf that aid the circulation
whilst walking. However, inadequate circulation can arise from the narrowing of
vessels such as atherosclerosis, diseases such diabetes, incompetent valves and lack
of mobility. This chapter reviews how medical products have been developed to
enhance circulation including microcirculation, through the external application of
intermittent pneumatic compression.
25.1 The Microcirculation
25.1.1 Overview
Many medical products have been developed to support the cardiovascular system
when our innate biological oscillatory system fails. When the heart is incapable
of sustaining these oscillations a pacemaker can be fitted. When these systems are
C. Thorn (B) · A. Shore
Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Science, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK
e-mail: c.e.thorn@exeter.ac.uk
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
A. Stefanovska and P. V. E. McClintock (eds.), Physics of Biological
Oscillators, Understanding Complex Systems,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59805-1_25
385